keeping it Real

This summer I'm not working and as a result, I have the opportunity to work with the kids on academics!  Lucky them, right?  Well, Sophia's teacher suggested retention, and I pushed back thinking I could catch her up over the summer.  

It has only been a week, and Sophia has learned 20 sight words, how to writer her numbers up to 30, and how to read one syllable words.  These were all things the teacher stated she could not accomplish.

Zack had great scores on his report card, but his teacher told me he is weak on his math facts and needs assistance with word problems and attention to detail.  So I have him doing word searches which he loves, and I've created lesson plans for him to increase his performance in math and reading.  He has been quite the booger though.  Work that should take an hour tops is taking him 3 hours.  Part of it is that he doesn't want to do the work.  The other part is that he does indeed need help in these areas!  But, boy oh boy does he push my buttons!

I'm just trying to keep it real her people.  He bring home the grades, but today I was wondering how he accomplishes that.  I texted a close friend of mine and in our conversation, she helped me to realize that it was a battle of the wills and not necessarily that he can't do the work right and in a steady manner.  Thank heaven for good friends during meltdown modes in life.

Sometimes I think I'm too hard on him/them because I want them to succeed.  Other times I feel guilty for not providing enough for them.  Overall, I think I've just learned that this mom thing is very hard work and no matter how hard I try to be great at it, I will always feel like I could do or be more.

I pray God gives me the wisdom to find balance.